Chicago police engage in shootout with individual on West Side

CHICAGO (Sun-Times Media Wire) - Police are searching for a gunman who fatally shot a man and may have exchanged gunfire with officers Friday night in Humboldt Park, according to a police.

The incident began when officers saw someone shoot a man in a possible robbery near the 3600 block of West Division, Chicago Police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said.

Two officers ran after the gunman and fired at him about 8:10 p.m., Guglielmi said. It was unclear if the gunman was shot by police. The gunman jumped into a waiting silver car and took off.

In a news conference, police said it was unclear if police were fired upon by the gunman, as a department spokesman had said earlier.

At the scene of the possible robbery on the West Side, a man had been shot in the chest by the gunman, Guglielmi said. He was taken to Stroger Hospital, where the 33-year-old died, Guglielmi and Chicago Fire Dept. spokesman Larry Langford said. A weapon was recovered.

One officer was taken to the same hospital for chest pain, Langford said. The officer’s condition was stabilized.

“It was a pop, pop, pop, pop, pop,” bystander said, describing the initial shooting. “It was a young person, maybe a teenager,” added the witness, who did not want to give their name.

Police are checking hospitals for gunshot victims that could be the suspect in this incident, Guglielmi said. The suspect’s vehicle description has been broadcast to officers.

The Civilian Office of Police Accountability was on scene investigating.